Coin-holder or change-maker.



J. W. JONES.

COIN HOLDER OR CHANGE MAKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1909.

' Patented May-17, 1910.

vv y n a u M 3 witnesses JOSHUA W. JONES, 0F HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COIN-HOLDER 0R CHANGE-MAKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 24, 1909.

Patented May 17, 1910.

Serial No. 497,894.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA W. Jonas, of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Coin- Holders or Change-Makers; and I do here by declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description 0 the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to devices such as are commonly used by street car conductors for holding coins in such manner that they may be removed one at a time to facilitate the making of change.

The objects of the invention are to simplify the construction of devices of the character specified, to prevent the tipping or cocking of the COlIlS when pressure is exerted to remove them and to guard more effectually against accidental escape or unauthorized removal of the coins.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a single holder embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional view in a vertical plane from front to rear. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing a slightly different construction of the parts. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the belt clip and spring tongues detached from the coin receptacle.

Like letters of reference in the several figures denote the same parts.

The coin receptacle A is preferably cylindrical in horizontal section and while but a single receptacle is shown in the accompanying drawings it will be understood that any desired number of such-receptacles, for different size coins may be mounted in proximity to each other on a single holder or waist belt. When constructed in accordance with the present invention, however, one size receptacle is adapted to hold and handle several sizes of coins whereby the manufacturer need supply only a few sizes to answer all practical requirements. At the bottom the receptacle is provided with an inwardly projecting flange or ledge B upon which the coins rest and a slot C at the front of the receptacle serves as the discharge opening for the coins. Said slot is of a height to permit the passage of only one coin at a time. In

the preferred construction the supporting ledge or flange B extends around the front of the receptacle below the level of the discharge slot but is cut away at the rear so as to form a finger recess or opening through which the end of the finger may engage the bottom coin to project the latter forwardly through the slot. While the arrangement may be such that the finger only engages the bottom face of the coin, it is preferred to also cut away the rear wall at the bottom of i the receptacle as at D whereby the finger may also engage the rear edge of the bottom coin and push the same forward in a positive manner.

In devices of this character the pressure necessary to discharge the coins is liable to tip the coins up or cock them in the receptacle. Various expedients have been resorted to to overcome this tendency and while with the present device the tendency is reduced to a minimum owing to the fact that the finger may engage the rear edge of the coin, an additional safeguard is provided in the form of a coin lock E adapted to engage one of the coins above the bottom coin or to pass in over the rear edge of the latter. The lock E is conveniently in the form of a spring tongue having its extremity a bent inwardly and so located that the finger for discharging the coin will first engage the end of the lock and push it in to hold the coins down and as the finger continues to ad Vance it slides over the end of the lock holding it in and at the same time engaging and pushing the bottom coin out of the discharge slot. The lock E may be struck u from the sheet of metal from which the be t clip F is formed, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, or it may be a spring secured to the rear side of the change maker as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Obviously, the form of the coin engaging end of the lock may be varied and it may engage the coin close to the bottom of the receptacle or some distance above the bottom, if so desired. To guard against accidental escape of the coins a spring pressed pivot gate or guard G partly bridges or closes the discharge slot, said gate being pivoted at g to the bottom flange and having a curved lip g extending part way around the slot. A spring 9 serves to hold the gate normally closed, but permits it to be pushed open by a coin being discharged. The coin exit slot is made long enough to allow the passage of the largest size coins the holder will accommodate and the gate G is of such length as to prevent the escape of coins of the smallest diameter, thus the device is adapted for handling coins of several diflerent sizes.

Instead of employing an entrance slot for coins at the top of the holder, the latter is in the present instance preferably provided with a hinged cover H having a rearwardly extending projection 72, adapted to bear against a leaf spring I whereby the cover will be held in either closed or open position. Spring I may also be struck up from the sheet of metal forming the belt clip, as shown in Fig. 5, but this construction is not essential, though it is preferred. Said belt clip has oppositely arranged hook shaped ends f with a space between them through which the belt may be inserted as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A coin holder and change maker such as described embodying a coin receptacle having a coin discharge slot on the front side of suflicient size to pass coins of maximum size, a coin supporting flange below the level of the slot, and a spring pressed gate extending around said slot to a point where it will prevent the accidental discharge of coins of smallest size, pivotally connected with the bottom of the receptacle at one side of the slot to swing horizontally outward whereby the elfective size of the slot may be varied to pass coins of different diameters.

2. In a coin holder and change maker such as described, the combination with a coin receptacle having a coin discharge opening in the front wall at the bottom and a coin supporting flange forming a finger opening, of a coin lock carried by the holder in position to be moved in above the level of the bottom coin by the finger in discharging said coin whereby cocking of the coin is prevented.

3. In a coin holder and change maker such as described, the combination with a coin receptacle having a coin discharge opening in the front wall at the bottom and a coin supporting flange forming a finger opening, of a finger operated coin lock mounted in position to engage a coin above the bottom coin to prevent the latter from cocking as it is discharged.

4. In a coin holder and change maker such as described, the combination with a coin receptacle having a coin discharge opening in the front wall at the bottom and a coin supporting flange forming a finger opening, of a yielding lock secured to the rear of the holder and having its lower end in position for contact with the finger engaging a coin to discharge the latter and adapted to hold the coin against being cocked when subjected to upward pressure.

5. In a coin holder and change maker embodying a coin receptacle having a discharge slot at the bottom, and a belt clip formed of sheet metal having hook shaped arms at top and bottom, respectively, with their ends spaced apart for the insertion of the belt and a spring tongue formed by an intermediate part of the clip.

JOSHUA W. JONES.

lVitnesses:

IVM. 0. Aurora, MARY E. HAUER. 

